Arrow Redux
by Damara
Summary: [Lois & Clark] [Alternate Ending for Arrow] What might have happened if Lois and Clark were reunited that night on the rooftop?


**Title: Arrow Redux**

**Author: Damara**

**Rating: K+**

**Disclaimer: The characters herein are NOT mine. I just wanted to bring them out to play for a little while…They belong to Warner Brothers and the CW Network, as well as to the creators of Superman. I promise to return them when I'm done with them…NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED.**

**Spoilers: For "Crusade" (Season 4) and "Arrow" (Season 6)**

**Summary: Lois/Clark (Alternate Ending for "Arrow")--What might have happened if Lois and Clark were reunited on the rooftop?**

* * *

Following his impromptu meeting with Green Arrow, Clark hurried back to the rooftop. Considering the night's turnout, he imagined himself finding a very dissatisfied Lois Lane. But as he approached he was quickly surprised by what he found. Lois was slouched defeatedly on the ground, the bow she'd wrestled away from Green Arrow laid forgotten at her side.

_Damn, s_he seethed. _She'd nearly had him unmasked!_

"Lois!" Clark called from across the rooftop; the concern in his tone was easily discernable. When she called back at him he ran to her position; he looked pained when he saw the bruises beginning to mar the delicate skin of her forearms and neck.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. Lois silently nodded her answer. To Clark it seemed clear that she was disappointed by the Arrow's successful escape.

"I've seen better days I'll give you that," she whined in classic Lois fashion. She allowed Clark to help her to her feet as she added, "But I'll live."

Clark nodded his relief and fought his sudden urge to reach out and explore the extent of her injuries. Instead he squelched the strange impulse and pocketed his restless hands at his sides.

Irrational though it seemed, Clark suddenly felt like paying a personal visit to SafeTec; only this time he didn't think himself capable of the same generosity as Oliver Queen. Trying his best to appear unaffected by her brush with death, he offered a tight smile for Lois' benefit, "I'm glad you're okay."

After a thoughtful break Lois sprung the obvious question, "Clark, how did you know where to find me?"

Unable to find a reasonable explanation, Clark groped clumsily for a response, "Uh…"

She stared at him inquisitively, which didn't help the words come to him any quicker.

"Well once we realized that you'd been taken from your apartment we split up to look for you and I…uh," he quirked what he hoped was a charming grin, "I guess I was just lucky that I saw the Green Arrow bring you up here."

"Huh," she huffed with disbelief. However far-fetched his explanation seemed, the truth was that she was too exhausted to explore it any further. So rather than argue with him, Lois nodded her acceptance of his story and added it to the ever expanding list of things that never added up about Clark Kent.

Clark smiled gratefully when she didn't press the issue. Then he swallowed down any remaining apprehension, and relaxed back into their usual brand of witty banter, "So am I going to be accused of having feelings for you again if I stick around while you wait for the police?"

Lois watched as Clark reached awkwardly into his coat pocket and offered out his hand; in his palm rested her cell phone. The same phone she remembered using to dial Chloe before being dragged out of her apartment.

Lois grabbed the phone out of his hand and scoffed, "You wish! I'm so far out of your league farm boy it's not even funny."

Squelching the urge to laugh, Clark settled for another well-timed poke at her ego, "Yeah…I suppose I would be if we're considering the round-up of your recent boyfriends."

He smirked in anticipation of her return fire. When it came to trading barbs Lois was never one to disappoint.

Theirs was a strange relationship, he realized suddenly.

"Awe," Lois shot back without missing a beat, "Don't sell yourself short Smallville! I'm sure if left to your own devices you'd _eventually_ figure out how to properly sweep a girl off her feet."

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Lois moved sharply toward him, likely in an attempt to jab him in the arm. But as quickly as she moved, it suddenly became clear that the knock to her head was more severe than she thought. Clark noticed her balance waver as she stumbled toward him; just when it looked as if she might hit the ground, he reached out and caught her.

Registering her change in position, Lois' gaze conveyed her gratitude, even if she was too stubborn to admit that she'd needed the help. The look on Clark's face however communicated his concern, and the futility of her trying to argue as he enfolded her against his chest and carried her to a nearby stoop.

Lois was surprised that she so easily allowed him to care for her. It wasn't usually in her constitution to accept the help of big strong manly types. But then, Clark had always been different somehow. His was an understated kind of strength. And he'd made an impression on her from the second she'd laid eyes on him in that cornfield; although considering his nakedness at the time it wasn't terribly surprising. What _was_ surprising was that despite the way he'd manhandled her the first time they'd met, she hadn't knocked him senseless.

In any case, she found the ease with which he lifted her now exciting.

Clark cradled her effortlessly against his chest as he sat down. _Speaking of sweeping a girl off her feet_, Lois thought silently as she tried her best _not_ to nuzzle deeper into his body…but then, even she had to admit that was easier said than done.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Clark asked worriedly. "I think you should go to the hospital Lois…just to get checked out."

"I appreciate the concern Clark, but I'm fine," she insisted, although the look he gave her told her he wasn't buying her bravado.

"I don't need a hospital," she argued, "What I need is a few minutes to get my feet back under me."

Clark sent Lois a disapproving look; he knew her well enough to know he couldn't win this argument, "Will there ever be a fight with you that I'm going to win?" he posed sarcastically.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," she cleverly supplied. He chuckled in amusement, but not without taking notice of the way she shivered against him.

It was cold out, and she was soaked from head to toe he suddenly realized. Clark pulled her tighter into his body in an effort to shroud her from the cold. Lois became keenly aware of the way Clark had literally wrapped himself around her…and it definitely had an effect on her.

"Hey Clark?" she sighed against his neck. The sensation caught him off guard and he fought to steady his breath as he angled his head downward to catch her gaze.

"Before you said, once _we_ realized you'd been taken," Clark nodded in agreement as she finished, "Did you mean you and Chloe?"

He shook his head and corrected her, "Oliver Queen."

Lois blinked up at him, "Ollie?"

Clark nodded, "He showed up at your apartment just after I did."

"He did?"

"He was pretty worried about you," he told her earnestly, "We both were."

Lois breathed softly in surprise, "You constantly amaze me Smallville."

"I do?" he wondered aloud, waiting for the punch-line.

"You're always there for people, even when they make it their life's mission to treat you like crap," she summed up.

"Is there anybody that you _don't_ get along with?" she asked suddenly.

"You mean besides you?"

"Hey! It's not my fault that you can't keep up with me," she lured.

"Keep up with you?" he retaliated, "Lois, keeping up with you isn't the problem…it's keeping you out of trouble!"

Squinting through her lashes at him, Lois considered how wonderful he'd been to her before deciding to chew him out, "You know Smallville, the whole altruistic farm boy routine you've got going may seem endearing at first, but after a while it wears pretty thin."

"Yeah well Lois, the same goes for your permanent and impenetrable wall of sarcasm," Clark bit back.

Lois smirked up at him; Clark always _did_ know how to give as well as he got. She quickly realized that if she was going to win this round she'd need to play dirty, "You think you could quit busting my chops long enough to remember that _I was the one_ who was kidnapped, beat up, and almost drowned tonight?"

The playful gleam in his eyes disappeared instantly; and once again Lois reveled in being the sole focus of his tender attention.

"I'm sorry Lois," his voice was heavy with sadness and guilt.

_The poor handsome fool looked like he was about to cry,_ she thought to herself. It was then that Lois acknowledged the reason behind Clark's charm. It wasn't just that he was protective, dependable and trustworthy. Clark Kent was the most compassionate person she'd ever known. And he was fiercely loyal to the people he cared about, even to those who deserved it the least.

Lois tried her best not to seem fazed by the depth of his concern, so she goaded him instead, "I figured a healthy dose of guilt would get you back on track."

When her teasing didn't lighten his mood, or for some reason erase the pained look in his eyes, Lois reassured more softly, "Seriously Clark…I'll be fine. Right as rain in no time…whatever that means."

Much to her relief, that earned her a small smile. Lois paused thoughtfully, and suddenly she felt lost in his sparkling green depths, "You know Clark…you always seem to show up right when I need you."

"And I always will Lois," he whispered meaningfully. For all their endless teasing and bickering, she sensed that he meant it. And that meant more to her than he could ever know.

"A girl's got to count herself pretty lucky to have a guy like you looking out for her…not that I'm not kicking ass most of the time," she was quick to add; the firmness of his embrace had begun to wane slightly, though the intensity of his stare seemed deeper…if that was even possible.

"I can take care of myself," she declared, and truth be told, Clark wouldn't have expected anything less from Lois Lane. "But it's nice to know that I've got back up," she whispered gratefully.

She'd done it again he marveled admiringly.

For only Lois Lane could lob ridicule and contempt while enchanting him with her strength and sincerity of character.

It truly _was_ a paradox.

They fought constantly.

They drove each other crazy.

And yet somehow as he looked into her gleaming orbs, something told Clark that he and Lois Lane were destined for something far greater than either of them had ever dared fathom.

It didn't make _any_ sense.

And yet to him, in a strange sort of way it made all the sense in the world.

She was a riddle wrapped up in an enigma, and for now that was okay. He knew he'd figure it all out someday.

Granted, unlocking the mystery wouldn't be easy… with Lois nothing ever was.

But he told himself it didn't matter, because he knew that she was worth the effort.

* * *

THE END


End file.
